Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-08-04
bis wiry frame expressed abiect tcrror

Nv natevef they are, tne travelling
Family are here" I said to myself,
'and that dog sees them" and
sprang to my feet. wrapped my blank
ct about me as sort of shield. and siez.
cd my pistol.
Thus prepared I stood at the door.
The bright sky was overhead. The
little adobe village all about me. Be-
yond, the wide pampa spread afar, with
its covering Of coarse grass, which,
when moved by the wind, took the
form of ocean pillows. But what was
this? Spreading for miles away, broad
and long, great black river seemed
to be running over the pampa. Slow.
ly it drew nearer, and heard noise
like the rustling and cracking of hard
paper, only much louder than is posi-
BILE to this sound.
Something came-sometbing my dog
feared horribly. Terror is infectious.
! merely paused to seize my portfolio.
l had not undressed for the night, and
followed him as he rushed out of tho
village.
At davbreak had reached tho mar
Gin of a river, and, happily, rude
hostelry, where rest and food might be
obtained. Tho landlord spoke English.
Where do you come fromp" he
asked.
told him.
Then l do not ask you aohy you
come he said. II know already that
the Travelling Family have come. God
abatc that nuisance! and may they turn
the other way, or it will be our turn to
run next. How is it that you are be-
hind the others? You must be tho man
from the United States they told me of.
Perhaps Yankee curiosity got the best
of you. You desired to see this Travel
ing Family"
well? And since you can speak
English, pray tell me what it is you
call by that name?" said.
Don't you know?" he asked. They
are ants. A great body of ants; large
and very strong ants, which travel con-
stantly. The line of march is never
certain, but they eat every thing as
they go. The grass, the herbs, the
vegetables and all creeping things. They
cat anything. in fact-alive or dead
animal or vegetable. There is nothing
that can be done to drive them back.
They can not be killed. There are too
many. So the people fly and go back
when the pests depart. l hope you
left nothing valuable in your house.
You will never see it again if you have.
They clear their path utterly"
Ants" / cried; land so the Travel
ing Family is nothing but a band of
ants?'
"Nothing"' said mine host. "Wait
until you see their work"
l waited. The Travelling Family did
not turn that way, and one day my old
neighbors passed the inn on their way
home. They hailed me with astonish-
anu lclul utu Will lIlSlIl' ~
curious sight presented itself. Through
the pampa n great path was eaten No
grass remained. All was perfectly
clean brown earth. All the ground
about the huts was as smooth rs bald
head. My hut still stood; but the ham,
mock, a sheepskin mat | had, my
clothing, all my little household gods,
were gone. devoured, not a thread left.
Not an insect, bug or reptile of any
sort remained alive, and we could
trace the track of the Travelling Family
away to the nearest valley.
Thank Heaven. they will not come
again this year" the Mexicans said, as
they set to work to repair and rear
range Their homes.
And as for myself. | was consider
ably poorer for my doubt of my in
formant's good intentions and my
ignorance concerning the travelling
Family.-Mry Kyle Dallas, IN Ne0
York Ledger.